-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has tapped a leading general accused by the United States of being a drug `` kingpin '' to be the country 's new defense minister .

Gen. Henry Rangel Silva will replace Carlos Mata Figueroa , according to the state-run AVN news agency . Chavez , who called Rangel a `` good soldier , '' made the announcement Friday in the central city of Guanare , the agency reported .

The United States added Rangel to its kingpin list in 2008 for allegedly providing support to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia , commonly known as the FARC .

A statement from the Treasury Department then said that the general `` materially assisted the narcotics trafficking activities of the FARC , '' and pushed for more cooperation between the Venezuelan government and the leftist rebels .

Since 2003 , the U.S. government has considered the FARC a `` significant foreign narcotics trafficker . ''

The action froze whatever assets Rangel may have under U.S. jurisdiction and prohibited citizens from doing business with him .

He is not the only Venezuelan official designated by the United States as a drug kingpin .

In September , the Treasury Department added lawmaker Freddy Bernal -- a Chavez loyalist -- and three other officials to the list .

All were accused of allegedly providing support to the FARC , which has been at war with the Colombian government since the 1960s . While severely weakened in recent years , the guerrilla group continues to carry out kidnappings and attack security forces .

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Gen. Henry Rangel Silva will replace Carlos Mata Figueroa , AVN news agency said

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The United States added Rangel to its drug `` kingpin '' list in 2008

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The action froze Rangel 's assets in the U.S. and forbade citizens to do business with him

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President Hugo Chavez reportedly describes Rangel as a `` good soldier ''